At the headwaters of the Cassarate

Description

This time I was being lazy: Danila and Pierfranco offered to organise Sunday's outing, and proposed an itinerary that I had glimpsed during the ascent to the San Lucio hut on 15.02.2009 with snowshoes: to walk the mountain from San Lucio in the direction of Monte Bar, following the entire closure of the Val Colla. The offer is very welcome, they know the area like the back of their hand. Accordingly light bag, the hike is not demanding. After a bit of confusion about the meeting place (Signôra), since there is a sign on both the low road (where we arrived) and the high road (where they were waiting for us), we manage to meet up. We leave one car, and with the other we move on to Cozzo. We set off at 9 a.m., the sun had not yet risen, and the polar air that has been raging since Monday was blowing in gusts. The path we take has no yellow sign, but Pier and Danila go with their eyes closed. The first half-hour is tough, the slope significant. Then, having arrived at an alpine pasture with Scottish cows, the path becomes quieter and enters a beautiful beech forest. We continue into the forest, until we rejoin the path from Bogno up to the Cottino alp. Then up, and at the alp we are forced to put on our windbreakers: the gusts are increasingly powerful and cold. At 10:45 we arrive at the San Lucio hut. The thermometer marks -1°C, but if it weren't for the wind, it would be bearable. We enter, and wait, wait, wait.... It takes us half an hour to drink a cup of tea, the service is not exactly Speedy Gonzales-like, even though there are only a few of us. At 11.15 we leave, and compare the pass and the little church with the snowy landscape seen in February... There really was a lot of it. From here, it is possible to ascend the Garzirola, continue on the ridge, and arrive at Monte Bar. As we take in the scenery, a lone hiker approaches, and asks, 'Haven't I met you somewhere before?' I don't have the pleasure of meeting him (although I'm not exactly a physiognomist), he thinks about it for a while, then exclaims "Ah yes, on the blog www.montagnaticino.com!" Turns out that even though he's not a registered user, he often follows our reports. Uhé, guys, we're famous :-) The gentleman sets off on his way, while we take the path that runs at practically the same height in the direction of the Monte Bar hut. The view is enchanting, the air hasn't been so clear for a long time. During the hike, we first see the Valais Alps parading by, with the Monte Rosa massif, the Matterhorn summit, the Dom, and in front of us all the peaks of the famous Tamaro - Lema. Then, as we proceed towards the Bar, and follow the curve of the mountain, the view opens up towards the south, with the Generoso, the Denti della Vecchia, the Boglia, and over there, beyond Malpensa, we catch a glimpse of the Ligurian Apennines: spectacular. The path has some slight ascents and descents, and we walk through all the small valleys exposed to the SO from which the various streams that form the Cassarate descend. On the path, the first sections are frozen, but nature holds firm, and the birches and rowan trees still have their leaves. At 1 p.m. we stop in a little hollow made especially for us, and enjoy our packed lunch. Thermos of hot tea, dried fruit and good company make for a pleasant stop, plus the fact that the terrain seems to be made for lying down, sheltered from the wind, and before us a magnificent lesson in orographic geography. And over there, beyond the San Lucio, we can now see the Grigna and the Grignetta. After half an hour spent enjoying the sun, and allowing a grasshopper that has settled on my trousers to make itself comfortable, we set off again in the direction of Alpe Pietrarossa, and then arrived at the Moncucco crossroads. After a brief discussion about the possibility of continuing on to the Bar hut, we decide to leave it alone, as it is not possible to descend from there directly, and take the path from Moncucco to Signôra. The first part is still exposed, then we enter a beautiful pine forest, with tall trunks: it looks like a cathedral with its pillars, or, for Tolkien lovers, Kazâd-Dum's hall. On the way down we meet three hunters, and I implement my favourite diversion: I call their dogs for cuddles. A beautiful spiny dog arrives, having realised that it is better to be petted than to run after hares and foxes. Shortly after, coming out of the woods, we arrive at their hunting lodge 'Il Cervo'. By now we are almost at the bottom, we have a good view of Colla, Certara, Cozzo, Maglio di Colla. The wind has fortunately dropped, and the temperature has become almost pleasant. At 4 p.m. we arrive at the parking area in Signôra, after having walked along the lanes of the village, and a further encounter with a splendid Irish Setter, who arrives barking and wagging his tail: two taps with his hand on his leg, and he is ready for the friendship procedure. Danila and Pier then take us for coffee to the Campana restaurant in Signôra di Sotto, where we make the acquaintance of the owner, a true living book of the facts, misdeeds and historical chronicles of the valley. I would spend hours listening to her, but commitments oblige one to take leave. A splendid hike, I would almost put it under T1, were it not for two or three slightly exposed passages. To be recommended for families with well-trained children. Full description of the hike with photos and text.